Monovalent Na+ and K+ ion channels, specialized pore-forming proteins that play crucial biological roles such as controlling cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle contraction, are characterized by a remarkable metal selectivity, conducting the native cation while rejecting its monovalent contender and other ions present in the cellular/extracellular milieu. Compared to K+ channels, the principles governing Na+ vs K+ selectivity in both epithelial and voltage-gated Na+ channels are much less...

S. Waxman, MD, PhD. - Medical need for new analgesics is discussed by S. Waxman (Yale University) who evaluated the role of selective subtypes of sodium channels, particularly 1.7 and 1.8 subtypes, in the perception of pain. There is an unmet medical need for drugs to treat chronic pain and inhibitors of
selective sodium channels are in development as novel analgesics.